Storm Before The Calm
by aeriepastel
Summary: (Set after KHII/Pre-Mark of Mastery Exam) Maybe... you don't need me to protect you like all those years ago, but right now. You need me the most, and I promise to fix what was broken and restore your memory. And even if it's from afar, I'll continue to protect you, even from myself. I will keep my promise, even like this. Sora. (I've decided to make this a series of one-shots)
1. Chapter 1

Violent winds caused the palm trees to shake and whip their leaves back and forth, as dark clouds quickly rolled in, bringing in their downpour and thunder and lightning. The shudders on the windows slammed against the brick walls, making their owners wonder if they were going to fly off, in the comfort of their own home.

Save for one, most kids would have been asleep by now, but not this child. No, not Sora. A whimper escaped the small boy as he lay in the other room, he clutched onto his bear tighter and clenched have eyes shut. If there was one thing he couldn't stand was when his best friend made him upset about something, then it was storms like this. When the wind made the shudders slam against the wall and rain beat against the window, and when the lightning lit up the night sky and thunder boomed causing him to cry.

"Sora?" That voice, peeking from under the covers he could see the shadowy silhouette of none other than his best friend standing in the door, hand on his hip. The younger tossed the covers off and along with his bear, ran over to the older.

"Riku!" It was like this often, every time a big storm came. Sora would spend the night with his best friend, and his best friend would have to get him at some point because he's sometimes too scared to move out of his own bed.

Once in the comfort of his friends room and under the covers, Sora held his bear close to him as he looked at his best friend. Thunder crackled causing Sora to jump and cry out, tears immediately springing forth and he held the bear tighter.

"Geez, what a baby." He furrowed his eyebrows and pouted before protesting.

"I'm not a baby, besides you came to get me, Riku's a meanie." Riku laughed softly and brought his hand up to wipe away the tears when lightning lit up his room, revealing bright blue glassy orbs.

"Don't worry Sora, whether its monsters or storms. I'll always be there to protect you." Sora looked up at Riku and couldn't help but snuggle the older male, completely forgetting about his bear and the storm.

"Thank you Riku." Riku just patted the younger on his head and closed his eyes, letting sleep wash over him.

* * *

"Where's Kairi, I thought she was with you!?" Sora ran to the bridge to see Riku staring out to sea, watching the waves violently rock against the isle they stood on. This was the second encounter since all those night ago, dealing with storms.

"The door has opened..."

"What?" Sora was confused, what was Riku talking about? What door?

"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!" Riku turned to the younger male, practically excited about going to the outside world.

"What are you talking about? We gotta find Kairi!"

"Kairi's coming with us," Sora looked at Riku in shock, not really knowing where this was going or liking it one bit.

"Once we step though, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back." Riku said as he looked to the sky, looking at the giant orb of darkness practically sucking their home away.

"But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" Extending his hand out, he looked at Sora. Hoping, no wanting Sora to see it his way, see how this was the perfect opportunity is, a chance to get away.

"Riku..." Sora's voice soft, skeptical. He wasn't so sure about this, especially when a pool of darkness, like the one from his dream suddenly appeared under Riku, but... they wouldn't get another chance like this if he didn't take it now, and what about Kairi?

Seeing as the darkness was beginning to engulf Riku, he grew worried and ran over to the silver haired male. The darkness also ensnaring him, trying so hard to reach out to Riku, yet not close enough, just as he was withing fingers grasp, it was gone. Riku, was gone.

* * *

Riku sighed deeply as he looked at the sleeping pod, bringing his hand up to touch the white capsule containing his best friend. He screwed up, he screwed up big time. How was he supposed to face everyone at this point, Sora would have surely been angry with him. He was an ass, and Kairi. How was Kairi fairing off without them, that's even if she remembered at all.

The clad in black teen lifted the blindfold to see the faint silhouette of a sleeping Sora and wondered if he still looked as he did all those years ago, always remembering the younger to be kind of a little effeminate. Longer eyelashes, lips a girl could actually be jealous of, and long feminine legs, a quiet chuckle escaped the silver haired teen and he let the blindfold fall from his face, revealing his true form.

"You always did sound like a girl when you were younger, now, you're growing up. Maybe... you don't need me to protect you like all those years ago., but right now. You need me the most, and I promise to fix what was broken and restore your memory. And even if it's from afar, I'll continue to protect you, even from myself. I will keep my promise, even like this. Sora."

Riku stooped down and picked up the discarded blindfold, he sighed through his nose and put the black fabric over his eyes. Once more, hiding his mistake, hiding the darkness within. One way or another, he will find a way.

* * *

"Riku, don't go!" The trio looked in shock as to what they heard and their eyes widened, Goofy the first to speak.

"Huh?"

"Kairi, what did you just say?" The red head turned around to face them, and they saw how sad she looked.

"Riku." Ansem turned away and began to speak.

"I'm no one, just a cast away from the darkness." Kairi turned back to face the three, motioning for the brunet to come over.

"Sora, come here. Say something to him." Sora looked at them skeptically, tilting his head to the side, trying to figure out of all this information. Before walking over to the two, the princess grabbed Sora's hand in hers'

"Here, you'll understand." Kairi placed Sora's hand on Ans- err... Riku's, holding them together. Sora looked up to Ansem, although, he could not see what the red head was talking about.

Looking down to their hands, Sora closed his eyss and took a look deep further down. Finally being able to see Riku. Sora opened his eyes to see unwavering yellow irises looking at him. Sora gripped Riku's hand tighter with his other, before falling to his knees.

"Riku. It's Riku, Riku's here!" Clenching his eyes shut, as he bit back a sob, he couldn't believe Riku was truly here, before him.

"I looked for you." Looking away to hide the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Come on Sora, you've got to pull it together." The deep voice now sounding like Riku's. Sora's shoulders shook, not being able to contain it anymore, looking up at the older, physically changed male.

"I looked everywhere for you!"

"I didn't want you to find me." Sora frowned as he stood up, still holding onto Riku's hand.

"But, it was him that was helping us." Donald faced the loyal knight, and looked up to Goofy

"Wasn't it?" The royal magician nodded speaking up.

"Huh?"

"The clues we kept findin', that must've been Riku."

"I was starting to worry you guys wouldn't catch on. Sora never did pick the brightest friends." Donald the first to protest.

"Whatdya you mean by that!" Sora now upset, snapped.

"Why didn't you let me know you were okay!"

"I told you, I didn't want to be found. Not like this... I- couldn't... I fought with Ansem... Xenoharts' heartless... when it invaded my heart and I won... but, to use the power of darkness, I had to become Ansem himself."

"Does that mean you can't change back?" Kairi asked worriedly.

"The battle isn't over, and until it is... I still need the power of darkness."

"Then, let's finish it, you're still Riku no matter what." Donald and Goofy walked over to the three. Now the group was finally a whole. Both the knight and magician nodding in agreement.

"So, whatdya say, ready for one last rumble?"

* * *

~Back on the islands~

Sora shifted from foot to foot, he supposed it was like old times again. He got to spend the night with Riku so he guessed, that was an upside. But, now he was faced with a current issue. There was a raging storm tonight, and he couldn't sleep.

The brunet bit his bottom lip, maybe he should just go back to his room. Riku would probably be asleep by now, yeah that's what he'd do. Besides, he was getting too old for this, that's something Riku would say. Sora raised his hand to knock, but pulled it away as if he had just been burnt. As much as he hated to admit it, he was still scared to storms, after all this time. Something he couldn't get over.

Riku sighed as he looked at his ceiling, he knew Sora was outside of his door. He knew the younger would always come to him, no matter the circumstance. It never failed, but. Did he want Sora to come in, because, he knew after tonight, everything was going to change between them. It wouldn't be the same ever again.

"Riku..." The older teen smirked, Sora could not whisper to save his own life. Rolling over, the silver haired teen grunted and let his eyes slip shut. Might as well mess with the younger male a bit. Yet all he got was silence, nothing. But, he knew better. This wasn't the first time this had happened. He heard the door click shut, signaling that Sora was now in the room and the keyblade wielder would be in his bed any minute.

Sora stood by the door just in case he needed an escape route, for what? He honestly had no idea, but it could have come in handy he supposed. No response, the younger shifted uncomfortably and bit his bottom lip once more and made his final decision to climb into bed with the older male.

Riku felt the bed dip under a second weight, and sudden skin on skin contact made the temperature in the room spike drastically.

"Don't you think you're a little too old to be doing this?" Breaking the everlasting silence between them, he turned to look at the teen, face to face. Lightning lighting up the room, he could see bright cobalt orbs looking directly into his.

"Don't you think you're too old to play pretend?" He retorted, frowning, only to jump when thunder seemed to crackle right over Riku's house, and found himself clinging to the older male.

"Still scared of storms, I see?" Riku teased, and on natural instinct let his arms wrap around the younger. He felt Sora shift, and when lightning struck once more, he could see the ocean blue orbs becoming glassy as tears threatened to make their appearance.

"S-Shut up... you're always teasing and making fun of me." Sora muttered, hiding his face in Riku's chest, only to hold on tighter when he heard thunder once more this time, louder and the beginnings of heavy rain.

"That's because you let yourself get teased," Moving his arm, Riku used his hand to tilt Sora's chin up so he was looking the teen in the eye.

"You don't have to be scared you know." Sora eyes widened and he felt his cheeks grow hot, he let his eyes slip shut when he felt the pad of Riku's thumb wipe away a stray tear.

"Because, I know you'll protect me." Feeling lips press to his, Sora relaxed against the older male and kissed back.

Riku could feel himself growing uncomfortable in the current position they were in, and moved so Sora was beneath him. The younger moaned softly and began to grow greedy for more, but decided to pull away due to lack of oxygen. Their eyes locked as realization struck both of them, and now knew they had crossed threshold of friends, no longer able to go back.

Sora blushed deeply and brought his hand up to touch his tingling lips.

"Riku... took my first kiss." It came kind of muffled, but Riku heard it. He could have died of a nosebleed and he would have been perfectly fine with it. _Sora, you're too cute for your own good_

"That's fine, because it was mine too." Riku mumbled as he looked away, pink dusting his cheeks as he talked.

"Really, that makes me happy." Sora beamed and he pulled Riku down to snuggle and closed his eyes, Riku rolled his eyes, he had no choice but to be stuck with Sora. Whether is was destiny or the many promises made and kept to this day, there was no escaping any dark storm hurled his way, but in the end he'd always look forward to the light breaking through and the calmness settling in afterwards.


	2. A Reflection

A reflection, the throwing back by a body or surface of light or sound without absorbing it. That's all this was right? So, why was I currently standing in front of a mirror, staring at something that supposed only reflect what you're supposed to see, your face and whatever else there is.. So, why was I staring into a mirror, with a face that was completely different from mine?

Well not completely different from mine, I mean, I guess it was still me, minus the blond hair. I brought my hand up to wave, and what do you know… he did the same exact thing, I smiled, and he did the same thing. This was so weird, yet kind of cool. I opened my mouth to say something, but as I did, I noticed he didn't do the same.

"Who are you?" I ask, breaking the everlasting silence that was between us. It was just a reflection of me, I never expected him to answer, and just as I had predicted, he never did. I had so many questions to ask him, like how did he get here? What was his purpose, could other people see him? What was his name, why was it me that he came to, out of all people? But, my time was cut short when a loud banging erupted from the other side of the door, I watched him disappear just as he had come, and sighed. He was gone, and now my questions were never going to get answered.

"Sora, are you done yet! I swear you're worse than Kairi." My roommate/boyfriend/bestfriend called out to me, I rolled my eyes and pulled open the door in protest.

"Hey, at least I know when to get out of the bathroom R-i-k-u." I push past him, but was pulled back and pushed into a wall. I looked up at him, challenging the silver haired male who was towering over me.

"We'll settle this later." I heard him growl under his breath, and walk into the bathroom. I sigh after hearing the door shut and lock click, I swore Riku was worse than Kairi because he spent more time on his looks more than anything, scratch that. His hair, if anything was something we never messed with, as I could clearly remember, Riku almost beating Tidus to a pulp for dyeing his hair black.

I couldn't say how long it was I was staring into space after Riku went into the bathroom to do whatever it was that Riku did, but by the time I had snapped out of it, Riku was out and waving his hand in front of my face. Looking up I could see the agitation with a flicker of worry in his sea foam green eyes, pushing his hand away I scoffed and decided to go into the kitchen for a drink of water.

"So much for trying to help a friend out." Riku muttered as he went to his bedroom, boy was Sora acting weird all of a sudden, but then again… it was Sora, so he was kind of unpredictable.

I sighed softly as I went into the living room to clear my mind, maybe playing a few video games would help me wind down a bit. Walking past a mirror, I could see a flash of blond out the corner of my eye and stopped in my tracks. Was my brain now playing tricks on me?

Only one way to find out, I cautiously stepped back and once more blond hair and blue eyes came into view. But, I could see something in his hands. The blond me smiled and raised what seemed to be paper with something scribbled on it. My eyes widened as I read it.

 _Roxas._

"Roxas, so that's your name?" The way his name fell from my lips felt kind of weird, but natural almost. I watched as he nodded vigorously, and I couldn't help but begin to chuckle. So, this was me… my other half... Roxas.


	3. I Do It All For You

"I'm breaking up with you." The words playing over and over in my head, as I sat in my room, curled up on my bed. It had been like this for days now, maybe a week, who knows. I've been grieving over my boyfriend who dumped me out of the blue, it hurts more so than what we went through together with Kingdom Hearts and adjust being back home. It was tough in the beginning, being gone for so long, having people forget about you only to remember the second you come back.

And me and Riku... grew distant. I tried and tried to get him to talk to me, but nothing. That is until one day, I snapped. I couldn't deal with the emotional stress he was putting me through, it was too much to handle at the time. But, it had seemed he felt the same way about me and because of how we felt. That was the first time we made love together. It was awkward, granted, but we were virgins at the time, but now... let's just say, Riku has a lot of stamina.

I felt my cheeks heat up thinking about our first time together, and the many more that followed. The lump in my throat returned once more as tears stung my eyes and my bottom lip trembled, why did all these stupid memories have to come back. I choked back a broken sob and violently wiped my tears away. Riku, why did you break up with me?

~meanwhile~

I sighed for the umpteenth time that day, I missed Sora. But, it was for the best. It'd be better for me to suffer than see Sora hurt over the choices I made these past few months, I knew it was wrong, yet I steady continued. Oh god, what had I done? I was and still am madly in love with the goofball, and yet I still cheated on him. Why? You ask.

Well being in a relationship, there are bound to be fights. And this one, well was more physical than verbal, it was pretty bad too, and it was just before Sora left to go visit the king and everyone else. I can't remember what we fought about or over, all I knew was, was that I had screwed up big time. Well, that same night Kairi had decided to stop by for a visit. One thing led to another and I slept with her, by the time I had come to. It was too late, but. I made the wrong choice and screwed myself over. Guilt ridden after Kairi left,I had holed myself up in my room, not bothering to come out until Sora returned.

Yet, it seemed the fighting continued on when he got back, and only got worse every time Sora left to go visit and came back. This was where things got bunched up on my end of the rope, with every fight and every time Sora left, Kairi or some other girl came into the picture. And after every quickie or one night stand, guilt. On top of guilt on top of guilt, topped off with a triple layer of guilt. Talk about best boyfriend in the world, huh? I huffed as I flopped onto my bed and rolled to face the window.

"Sora, why do you love me so?"

~Sora's P.O.V.~

"Sora, Kairi's here to see you!" I heard my mom call from down the steps, but I didn't want to see anyone, much less even get out of bed. I had no motivation to do anything now a days, not without Riku at least. I didn't even realize my door slamming open to an angry red head until I my arm was being painfully bent behind my back.

"Kairi! Get off of me, it hurts!" I yelped when she pulled tighter, when had she gotten so strong? Finally the pressure on my back relieved and I gave a sigh of contentment. Looking up I could see she was sitting on the bed, head turned away.

"Kairi, what's the matter?" I reached my hand out to her, but it was slapped away. I kind of flinched and pulled my hand away, I could see that she was really conflicted with what she was about to tell me and from the looks of it, cry too.

"S-Sora... you have to promise me. When I tell you this, I hope it doesn't ruin our friendship." Kairi gave a deep shuddering breath and tried to fight down her tears, I wanted to hug her but knew she would only push me away. I smiled softly and shook my head.

"I'll still be your friend, either way it goes." Kairi just nodded quietly and took a few more deep breaths and looked at me.

"I... I've... been sleeping with Riku." I faltered, and my smile fell. She's been sleeping with Riku? My boyfriend? My best friend and boyfriend...? I bit my bottom lip roughly, and shook my head fighting back the tears. I knew he was cheating on me... but with Kairi. Of all the people... I didn't know what to say.

"I... I think I'll just go now." Kairi stood up from the bed and walked to the door.

"I'm really sorry Sora." And with that, she was gone. Sniffling, I wiped my eyes and reached over to grab my phone. If Kairi had come clean, then it was time for me and Riku to have a chat.

~Riku's P.O.V.~

I sighed deeply as I waited for Sora to arrive, how was he the one to call me here, but shows up late. I don't know why I agreed in the first place, maybe it was just to see him again, see his bright smile, and always brimming with happiness oceanic orbs. I straightened up when I heard fast paced footsteps coming towards my direction and turned around to see Sora rushing at me, that was until his keyblade appeared.

I jumped back when he swung at me and summoned my own keyblade, so this was how it was going to be? I smirked and readied myself to block when Sora was ready to strike once more, our blades clashing against each other, even to the point of sparks being created. I watched as Sora pushed back and readied his stance, that determination that sparked in his cobalt orbs made me suddenly smirk before moving in for another attack.

I swung the sharp black blade in my grip up, the tip passing an inch from the vulnerable soft skin of Sora's neck. Only to still, fall back and pull into a new move of an attack. Sora's own gleaming blade actually skimming along my pale cheek with the blunt end of the blade.

My silver locks seeming to slide along and caress the shining metal. Before it to flickered away as Sora readied another attack of his own. Through every movement joy, determination and trust glowed brightly in our eyes. Both of us focused fully on each other, our entire world consisting only of us.

"Why!?" Sora yelled at me, why what? Why is he asking me that, unless...

"Why... why, didn't you tell me Riku?!" I kept my stance as Sora repeatedly struck my keyblade with rage, teeth grit as his beautiful blue orbs filled with tears. I don't blame him, I don't blame him for being angry... it was my fault in the first place.

"I tried to figure out why you were cheating on me! But... Kairi. Kairi of all people!" He yelled, his voice faltering as his blows grew less and less before he stopped all together, dropping to his knees as a broken sob escaped. I wanted to hold him and apologize for hurting him so much, and swear it would never happen again, but I could tell he didn't want to be touched.

"Why... what is it that I'm doing wrong Riku... tell me? Please, tell me?" Sora whimpered burying his hand in his hair as he tried to silence his useless sobs, I let my keyblade dissipate into thin air as I couldn't take this anymore. Seeing Sora hurt over my actions again made those memories come back up, seeing how hurt he was because I took the wrong path, how he cried for me when he found me again.

"Sora, Sora..." Like my ex lover, got down on my knees but in front of him and pulled his hands away from his hair. I fought the lump in my throat as I tried to get the words out, I wanted him to know why I did what I did.

"If you knew, why didn't you say anything? Why would you let me continue on this way, knowing it would hurt you?" Sora hiccupped and looked up, his eyes brimming with tears as he tried to get the words out himself.

"I was w-willing to look past i-it, b-b-but then... y-you just dumped me. A-and now, I found o-out you slept with Kairi. I was waiting for you to come clean with cheating on me." Sora sniffled and dropped his head, I did this to him. He was waiting on me, to confess... I let go of his hands and backed away. I'm so stupid, maybe I don't deserve Sora after all, he's too good to me, after all that I put him through, he wanted to and still wants to be with me. He looked up when he saw I had backed away, the evident pain on his face said it all. 'Don't leave me again'

~Sora's .~

"Riku... just come back. I forgive you... I need you here with me, I need you by my side. For so long I've searched for you... and now you're leaving me again." I don't know when it happened, but I had somehow ended up in his lap, burying my face into the crook of his neck. Clutching onto his shirt as I desperately clung onto him, I couldn't lose him again. No matter how much he told me he didn't deserve me, how many times he's pushed me away, all the fights we've had, just showed that we both came out stronger in the end. And I didn't want this to be the end of us, not now or ever.

"Please... Riku. I love you."

~Riku's P.O.V.~

Hearing those three words made my heart pound even harder and I snapped, I pulled Sora into lip bruising kiss, practically shoving my tongue down his throat. I could feel Sora kissing back and that just made me want him all the more, wrapping my arms around his waist, I pulled him in tighter to me, never wanting to let go. That was until Sora was pulling away with a gasp.

"Riku, please... don't leave me again." Sora let his head rest on my shoulder as he tried to catch his breath, and I nodded. I swore on my life this would never happen again, I didn't want to put Sora through this pain ever again.

"I swear, I'm never leaving you again. I love you too." I don't know how long we stayed outside like this, but by the time we had decided to leave the island we used to play on as kids, it was late and I was sure Sora's mother was getting worried.

"Riku, can we just stay here?" I heard Sora speak up, and I couldn't help but smile softly. If there was anything Sora wanted, he got it. Anything for Sora, I fished my phone out of my pocket and made a quick call to our parents letting them know we won't be home tonight. I swore to god Sora's mother was truly something else, and couldn't help but chuckle when an old memory came in to play.

"What's so funny?" I could feel Sora beginning to pull away from me and blue eyes look directly into mine, I smiled once more and ran a hand through the wild spikes that seemed to never be tame.

"Remembering the time you told your mom about us." Sora's brows furrowed as he tried to think back to when he had ever told his mom about us, I watched as his cheeks suddenly grew flushed in the fluorescence of the moonlight and smiled once more.

"Riku..." I was met with smoldering aqua orbs and got the message from that alone, Sora stood up before me and extended out his hand for me to take, just like that time on the beach. Taking his hand in mine, he helped pull me from the dirt and began leading the way to where we slept when we spent the night out here. The amount of tension between us was unimaginably thick and heavy, I could tell we both wanted this, so eager to get off and please one another.

"Sora, I'm so sorry." I whisper into his untamed and gravity defying hair, pulling him close into me when we reached behind closed doors. I feel him tremble against me and a sniffle resounding in the otherwise empty room, I pull my best friend back to look him in the eye, and all he can do is just smile at me, tears running down his cheeks.

"Silly Riku, you're here with me. That's all that matters." He whispers as his arms wrap around my neck and pull me in closer, I can't keep my cool at this point. God was I so stupid to let him go in the first place, he was the best thing to happen to me and I couldn't have been happier."Please... make love to me 'Ku."

Words didn't have to be spoken beyond that point, and I couldn't have imagined a time where he looked more beautiful. Sora, you are the light to my darkness and that will never change, no matter what happens from here on out.

* * *

Even now as I sit by your hospital bed, waiting for you to wake up. Waiting to see that goofy smile of yours, see the passion and excitement ignite in those beautiful azure orbs. Wait for those moments where you're a complete and total idiot, and be dorky, wait to see your smile when I whisper "I love you." and secretly enjoy when you're smothering me in kisses and hugs. I wait, until the day we can meet up again and see other worlds... together this time.

But, because of my foolishness... I have caused you the greatest pain of all. So, until I can retrieve your heart again Sora... please wait for me a little while longer.


End file.
